In this video I’m talking about something you’ll notice right away if you look at my toddler classroom shelves: I keep one of each material. This is one of the places where Montessori and minimalism overlap so clearly—everything on the shelf has a purpose, and we’re selective about what we allow into the environment. In our classroom that means one pink tower, one set of watercolor paints, one banana peeling/slicing work, one window washing basket, one set of animal home cards…one of everything we actually need. This is really counter-cultural in early childhood. Outside of Montessori, it’s common to hear, “If children fight over a truck, buy 12 trucks,” and many quality rating systems encourage lots and lots of stuff. But in Montessori, I teach sharing by taking turns: you get a turn until you’re done. Waiting builds patience and mirrors real life, where we don’t all get identical items at the same time. Having one of each material also communicates value and responsibility. When there’s only one, children learn to care for it and treat it with respect—because if it breaks, we don’t have it anymore. And from a stewardship standpoint, reducing what we bring in matters. Fewer materials supports the earth, rejects consumerism, and helps us only own what we can truly take care of and care about.